Only Hope
by SeaBreeze
Summary: HP/GW, RW/HG. Sad (but good!) romance in which someone dies from natural causes. Please read and review!
1. I Know Now You're My Only Hope

Author's Note: This is a corny/sweet story (you choose which one). Tell me what you think, there will be a part 2.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nuttin'  
  
P.S. the song passage from the bottom is from the song Only Hope by Switchfoot.  
  
  
  
  
Ginny was a wreck. Her family's money problem had gone downhill, forcing them to move into a tiny rental home.   
Ron had a terrible type of bone cancer that was slowly killing him. In a week, she would be leaving Hogwarts to help her family  
with the money and to make Ron as comfortable as possible until... she purposely didn't think any farther than that. Ron's best  
friend, Harry, was one of the few people who understood what she was going through, and they spent hours talking- about Ron,  
life without Ron, what Harry was going to do once he left Hogwarts. Sometimes they didn't say anything. Ron's other best friend,  
Hermione, had already gone down to visit him. She apparently never left his side, which didn't suprise Harry or Ginny very much at all.  
She and Ron had loved eachother forever, and Ginny knew this was as hard, if not harder, for Hermione than it was for her or  
Harry.  
She and Harry would sit and watch the reflection of the sun setting over the lake. Her world seemed to be turning upside down,  
but sitting with Harry by the lake with the bright colors of the setting sun, time seemed to stop and everything felt right. Luckily,   
it was Christmas Break and there were no classes going on, but being away from her family just added to her pile of hell.   
Everyday, she and Harry would send a letter to Ron, and everyday they would get one back. Lately, the letters had been in   
Hermione's handwriting, which meant Ron was too weak to sit up long enough to write back. The latest letter had been short,   
but not unhappy.  
  
Dear Harry and Ginny,  
Thank you for your last owl. I'm doing alright, but I'm very tired. I can't wait to see you for Christmas, Ginny. I am counting   
down the days. Hermione if good, she never leaves me side. It makes me feel so hopeful to know that you three love me so   
much. Harry, how is the Quidditch going? I miss playing so much, but not as much as seeing you two everyday. Come visit me  
soon, alright?  
I love you both.  
Love,  
Ron  
  
Ginny turned to Harry.  
"We should be there right now," she muttered, worried. Harry put his hand on her shoulder.  
"Ginny, you know there's nothing we could do about when we leave. If it were up to me, we'd have been there two months ago."  
He said comfortingly. Then he looked at her, and looked around quickly before continuing.  
"Ginny, I'm worried about you. You haven't cried once since you found out about Ron's cancer. I know I've cried a fair few times.  
What's wrong?" he asked kindly, pulling her into a gentle hug. For the first time, Ginny felt tears sting her eyes.  
"Can we go out to the lake?" she whispered, and Harry nodded silently, leading her out to the ice-covered lake. They put on thier  
warm winter cloaks and headed outside. Once they go out by the lake, they sat down on the bench and huddled against each-  
other for warmth.   
"So..." Harry began, after a few minutes of silence. Suddenly everything Ginny had been feeling in the last two months pored out.  
"Harry... everything is falling apart! My brother is dying, my family's in financial trouble, and to top it all off, in a few months   
when Ron is..." she gulped, and a new wave of tears made their way down her cheeks. "... when he's gone, and I'm at home,  
working to help my family out... I won't see you. You're the only reason I've made it through each day..." she trailed off, and   
Harry quickly wrapped Ginny in a hug.  
"It's hard for me, too, Ginny... but you've helped me, also." he said into her hair, his eyes red from crying. "And we'll still see   
eachother, I promise we will. I'll be with you every free moment I have... I'd leave Hogwarts is Dumbledore would let me..." he  
trailed off guiltily. Ginny hugged him tighter.  
"No, I wouldn't let you... you have to help defeat You-Know-Who... for Ron." she said. Harry smiled sadly at her.  
"For Ron," he repeated softly. He looked gently into her eyes, seeing all the pain he knew so well. She looked back, and he   
leaned into her slowly until their lips were touching. They kissed sweetly, but it was also a kiss of shared pain. They smiled  
ironically at eachother, and hugged again.  
"What would I do without you?" he whispered. Ginny laughed softly.  
"You're such a cornball," she teased.  
  
I'm awake in the infinite cold  
but you sing to me over and over again  
I know now you're my only hope 


	2. I'll Keep A Part Of You With Me

Harry and Ginny rushed into the hospital room a week later.  
"Ron!" Ginny said, her voice full of emotion as she flung her arms around her brother who was lieing in the hospital bed..  
"Hey, little sis, how are you doing?" he asked with a smile. Ginny grinned back at him. Harry came over and gave Ron a low high-  
five.  
"Hey Ron, how's it going?" he asked lightly. Ron grinned.  
"I'm great, now that I've got 2 of my 3 favorite people in the world with me! Where did Hermione go...?" he said as he hugged both  
Harry and Ginny at the same time.The door opened suddenly and Hermione came in.  
"Ah, now everything's perfect," Ron said happily. Just as Hermione joined them with a smile on her face, Ron began coughing.  
Harry and Ginny exchanged looks, and Hermione knelt by Ron's side and squeezed his hand. He smiled and squeezed back  
just as he got his coughing back in control.  
"Don't worry guys, I do that all the time. It's nothing to worry about," he said easily. Just then a mean looking nurse came in.  
"Look at this! Three visitors at once! Get out, all of you, he needs to rest!" she snapped. The three of them looked at Ron.  
"It's alright, go, have lunch or something. Don't worry, I'll be here when you get back," he said, smiling weakly as the nurse  
injected a shot into his arm.  
  
Harry, Ginny, and Hermione went to have lunch as Ron suggested, and then Ginny and Harry went to settle him in at a local   
hotel. Hermione noticed they were going to share a room, but didn't say anything...  
"Ok, I'm going back to see Ron. I'll tell him hi for you, ok?" she asked. Harry nodded.  
"Tell him we love him and goodnight. Tell him we'll be there when he wakes up," Ginny added. As soon as Hermione left, Harry  
set up his bed on the couch and Ginny, on the bed. They went to sleep right away, being tired from their trip.  
  
Hermione walked into the dimly lit hospital room to find Ron awake.  
"Hey, sleepyhead, whatcha been doing?" she asked with a small smile. Ron looked seriously at her.  
"Thinking," he answered.  
"About what?" Hermione asked somewhat nervously.  
"Well... for one thing, Harry and Ginny. Are they..." he trailed off, a slow grin forming on his face. Hermione nodded.  
"I'm pretty sure. They're sharing a hotel room." she said with a smile. Ron looked torn.  
"It's great that they're together, I know Harry'l take good care of her, but still... I think I'd feel better if they slept in different  
rooms for now," he joked quietly. Hermione laughed softly.  
"Anything else you had on your mind?" she asked. Ron nodded.  
"Yes. It's very important. Hermione, I want to know that you'll be happy after I've left." he said this in a very straightforward   
way. Hermione sputtered for a moment.  
"What exactly do you mean?" she finally asked.  
"I want you to date after I'm gone," he said. "Seriously," at this, tears gathered in Hermione's eyes.  
"How can you ask that I do that, Ron? We were supposed to be together. We always have been. We always will." she said, her   
voice close to breaking.  
"I know, but I've only got a little bit more time here. I'd stay here if I could just to be with you, but unfortunatly it's not my  
decision. You have to move on." he said insistently. Hermione looked slightly angry.  
"Ronald Weasly, do you know what you're asking me to do?" she snapped. Ron nodded.  
"I know exactly what I'm asking you to do. Promise me, Hermione." he said firmly. Hermione burst into tears and held his hand   
tightly. "I... I... I promise." she sobbed. She layed her head on Ron's chest. he ran his fingers through her hain and let a tear   
roll down his cheek.  
"I love you," he said tenderly. Hermione looked up and kissed him slowly before responding.  
"I love you," she said. Ron patted the little space next to him, and Hermione crawled next to him and layed down. They held each-  
other and fell asleep that way.  
  
The next morning, Harry and Ginny found them that way.  
"Isn't it sweet?" Ginny asked quietly. Harry nodded and looked at her.  
"Yeah," he said, just as Ron began to stir.  
"Hey guys," he said sleepily. He looked paler than usual.  
"Good morning, Ron," they answered together. Ron grinned.  
"How cute... Hermione told me about you guys... one hotel room..." he raised his eyebrow at them and clicked his tongue. Both  
Ginny and Harry blushed.  
"Three months ago and I would've kicked your butt, Harry," he added with the slightlest trace of a smile. Harry blushed even   
brighter.  
"If it makes you feel any better, I slept on the couch." he said. Ron noticed that Ginny wasn't looking directly at either of them.  
"Yeah, I feel much better now. Ginny, is it all right if I have a word with Harry?" Ron asked her. She nodded.  
"Don't hurt him, Ron," she said as she walked out of the room. Both boys laughed. Ron turned to look at Harry.  
"So... my sister...I have to admit, I couldn't have picked anyone better to take care of my little sister. Promise me you will?" he  
asked. Harry nodded.  
"Because if you don't, I will find some way to hurt you," he teased. "What do you think about you two...?"  
"I... I don't know, Ron. We've only kissed once, and it wasn't even really a big deal. And even then... I think I love your little   
sister," Harry said, a huge, silly grin spreading across his face, which Ron caught.  
"Then I'm not worried about it," he said." See if she wants to come in, will you?" he asked. Harry stood up and let Ginny back in   
the room. As he did, his face was red, which made Ron laugh, and Ginny curious.  
"What's going on, you two?" she demanded. Ron tried to look innocent.  
"Oh... nothing..." he lied. Hermione seemed to have woken up during all this.  
"He's so sick, but he still manages to be a pain in the butt," she commented on Ron. Ginny looked at Hermione.  
"Do you know what all the fuss is about?" she asked. Hermione grinned.  
"Yes," she said as she kissed Ron's cheek.  
"What is it, then?" Ginny asked impatiently.  
"I suspect you should ask Harry about that..." she trailed off as Harry's face turned into an inferno.  
"Come on, Harry... tell me," Ginny pleaded. Ron nodded in agreement.  
"Yes, Harry, I'd like to see this." he said, dead serious. Harry finally nodded, and stood up to face Ginny (still bright red)  
"I was just telling Ron how much... how much I love you," Harry said. Ginny threw her arms around his neck and kissed him,  
full on the lips. While they were kissing, they didn't even notice Hermione and Ron's clapping, laughing, and cheering. (Ron was   
catcalling, too) When they finally broke apart, Ginny whispered "I love you, too" into his ear. Ron grinned geuinely.  
"I've got the girl of my dreams, and Harry and Ginny have eachother. I think I can die a happy man now," he said, and they all  
went in for a group hug.  
  
Two weeks later, Harry and Ginny got a call at 1 am in the morning. Ron was dying.  
They hurried to the hosptial, because while everyone else had said their goodbyes, Harry and Ginny hadn't. Ron had also  
requested that Harry and Ginny be the last to see him before he died, besides Hermione. They arrived and hurried into his   
room. He looked sickly and white. Hermione was at his side, silent tears rolling down her face as they told eachother how   
much they loved the other one. Hermione stepped aside for Ginny to say goodbye to her brother.  
"Ron... I love you. I'll never ever forget you," she said as she tried hard not to sob.Ron smiled tiredly.  
"I love you too, Ginny. Take care of Harry and Hermione for me, lil sis, that's your job. I won't forget you, either." they hugged   
and Ginny moved away (but still held onto his hand, as Hermione was) to let Harry in.  
"Ron... I don't know what to say... I love you, man. I'll take care of your family," he said, wrapping an arm around Ginny. Ron took  
his friend's hand.  
"I love you too, buddy. Thanks for taking care of my family, especially Ginny. When you defeat Voldemort, do it for me..." he   
trailed off. Harry grinned a tiny grin.  
"You're not afraid to say it anymore." he said. Ron shrugged.  
"I have you fighting him, and you won't be fighting alone," he smiled and Harry grasped his hand over Ginny's. Hermione stepped  
forward again.  
"Ron, I love you and I'll never stop, but I'll keep my promise," she said firmly. Ron smiled.  
"That's my girl. I love you, Hermione." his body lurched, and with his last breath he said what he wanted to most:  
"I love you all"  
And he was gone. Harry, Ginny, and Hermione went into a three-way hug, sobbing and holding on tightly to eachother. But Ron   
never really left them, and they all knew it. Their love and bond with eachother binded them.  
  
  
When I look back on these times  
and the dreams I left behind  
I'll be glad cuz I was blessed to get to have you in my life  
  
when I look back on these days  
I'll look and see your face  
you were right there for me  
  
in my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky  
in my heart there'll always be a place for you for all my life  
  
I'll keep a part of you with me  
and everywhere I am, there you'll be 


End file.
